Quantitation of IgG subclass antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides by ELISA, using Pneumovax-specific antibodies as a reference.

A quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method has been developed to assay the levels of IgG subclasses to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (PCP) by using a reference standard. This standard solution containing specific antibodies to a polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax) was purified from the serum of an immunized healthy adult by affinity chromatography. In order to determine the predominant response to Pneumovax in the four IgG subclasses, specific IgG subclasses in preimmune and postimmune sera from six healthy adults were assessed quantitatively by the ELISA. With regard to peak concentrations after immunization, there was a marked increase in the IgG2 subclass, compared with those of IgG1 and IgG3. Such a quantitative assay of Pneumovax-specific IgG subclass antibodies is useful for the direct evaluation of immune responses to immunization with a polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine, and at the same time, for estimating the IgG2 response to PCP antigens in individuals.